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Information and Resources related to the 2025 U.S. Presidential Administration Transition can be found on the Federal Updates Resulting From Administration Transition webpage. We will continue to update the page as new information and resources are identified.

Sponsored Programs Administration
Office of Sponsored Programs
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Contract and Grant Administration

SPA Newsletter - Spring 2025

SPA NEWS

Sponsored Programs Administration Newsletter

Spring 2025

Greetings from SPA/OSP/CGA!

The past few months have been challenging for many in higher education, especially within the research community. Despite these difficulties, MSU's research administrators continue to provide strong support for the University's research mission. Your dedication does not go unnoticed, and we are grateful for all that you do.

We recognize that many of you are balancing significant demands, and we hope this newsletter offers helpful information and resources to support your work. In this edition, you’ll find updates on:

  • ORCID iD requirements
  • Funding through the MDHHS Master Agreement
  • How to update contacts in Kuali Research (KR) from the award review perspective
  • A new FAQ posted on the Prepare Proposal Development Document page
  • A reminder about the resources available on the Federal Updates Resulting from Administration Transition webpage
  • Upcoming ERA training sessions

As usual, this issue also announces the latest recipient of the Unit Research Administrator (RA) Spotlight Award. We are proud to sponsor this award and continue to be inspired by the incredible work of MSU's research administrators across campus.

We hope you find this edition of the SPA Newsletter both informative and useful. If you have feedback or suggestions for future content, please contact Erin Schlicher (schlic11@osp.msu.edu), or me (reighley@msu.edu).

Thank you again to the authors and contributors who made this newsletter possible – and to all of you for your ongoing commitment to MSU's research enterprise.

Twila Fisher Reighley
Associate Vice President for Research, Sponsored Programs

Image of spring blooms at Beaumont Tower.
Photo courtesy of University Communications

New FAQ Posted on the Prepare Proposal Development Document Page

by Amanda Blank, OSP

You may recall the article written by Amber Nichols and Nicol Springer in the Fall 2024 edition of the SPA newsletter, “To Recall or Not to Recall…That is the Question”, which provided helpful information on data that can be updated on a Proposal Development (PD) document while the PD is in route.

To assist in making this information available within other resources you may access while working on your PD, a new FAQ has been added to the Prepare Proposal Development Document page with the list of fields that are editable in a routing PD:

Are certain fields editable while a Proposal Development document is in route?

Yes, your OSP contact can update any of the following fields without needing to pull a PD out of route:

  • Project Title
  • Sponsor or Prime Sponsor
  • Activity or Proposal Type
  • Deadline or Target Date
  • Deadline Time
  • DeadlineType
  • Sponsor Proposal ID (i.e., Federal Identifier)
  • Previous Grants.gov Tracking Number
  • Agency Routing Identifier
  • Notice of Opportunity
  • Response to the question, “Does this proposal include subawards?”

Please work with your Proposal Team point of contact if you’d like to make any of these changes.

We hope this is a helpful place to find this information, and if you have any questions on it or any other questions on PDs, please reach out to your OSP Proposal Team.

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Photo courtesy of University Communications

ORCID iD Requirements

by Laura Johnston, OSP

Many federal agencies are starting to require ORCID iD as the Persistent Identifier (PID) on some federal forms (e.g. Current and Pending Support and Biographical Sketch). ORCID iD is a free persistent identifier that may obtained on the ORCID website. It is recommended that investigators register for an ORCID iD as soon as possible in order to be prepared for upcoming proposal or award requirements. See the chart provided below with the required implementation dates for ORCID iD by agency (for the agencies that have communicated their implementation plans).

Special requirement for National Institutes of Health (NIH) – starting in May 2025, NIH has stated that investigators will need to link their ORCID iD in their eRA Commons Profile. For instructions, see the eRA Online Help.

Graphic of ORCID iD timeline.

*These dates may change under the new federal administration.

Image of oak leaves on MSU campus.
Photo courtesy of University Communications

MDHHS Master Agreement Funding Coming Soon!

by Sue Ferris and Mel Steward, OSP

Are you new to EGrAMS and the MDHHS Master Agreement (MA)? We are here to help demystify them! The MDHHS MA with MSU is quite large, with anywhere between 40-60 projects each year. Sue Ferris and Mel Steward on Proposal Team 1 are the first point of contact with OSP on MDHHS MA projects; both can be reached by emailing proposalteam1@osp.msu.edu. When MSU receives initial word from MDHHS on awarded project titles and amounts under the MA, an email is sent to either the Research Administrator (RA), if known, or directly to the PI to ask which RA will be assisting with the submission. Having one main contact on each project to coordinate submission helps to streamline the process and make communication efficient.

For the projects included in the MDHHS MA, the funding notification will arrive mid-summer 2025. Here are a few tips to help the proposal process run smoothly:

  • When emailing, please include the Proposal Development (PD) document number and title of the project in the subject line, keeping the emails informative and concise.
  • Please keep each email limited to a particular project, rather than one email with information about numerous projects, which can cause confusion.
  • The project period for MA-2026 will be 10/1/2025 – 9/30/2026, unless a project is added later in the year or MDHHS determines otherwise.
  • Please know that as soon as we have official word from MDHHS, we will reach out to you! MDHHS provides no information to OSP prior to the official email with all the specifics.
  • If you have questions about MDHHS opportunities or projects, please email Sue and Mel at proposalteam1@osp.msu.edu to point you in the right direction!

Some other helpful information outside of the proposal process:

  • If you have questions about MSU's signature on an amendment or when an account will be set up, please reach out to the Contract Teams at OSP.Awards@osp.msu.edu.
  • If you have questions about your project after account setup, please reach out to CGA Awards at Awards@cga.msu.edu.
  • If you have questions about reporting, please reach out to the Reports group at Reports@cga.msu.edu.

EGrAMS is the system MDHHS uses to process grants. While the system looks intimidating and tends to feel overwhelming, clicking through it to feel more comfortable can be helpful, and we encourage this. Some videos are also available to help navigate EGrAMS; please ask Proposal Team 1 if you are interested in seeing the videos!

The EGrAMS application will essentially be built off the information included in Kuali Research (KR). The RA will start a PD document in KR and follow the OSP processes throughout. When building the budget, be mindful that the indirect cost rate (i.e., IDC, or F&A) allowed by MDHHS is 26% MTDC, unless the RFP says otherwise, or you plan to ask for a waiver at MSU. When the budget is ready for review, the RA lets the assigned OSP contact know. After budget approval, the RA routes the PD and notifies their OSP contact when routing is completed.

While the PD is routing, the RA/PI will be working on entering the application in EGrAMS. When it’s time for OSP to review, the PD document and the proposal in EGrAMS are reviewed simultaneously. Once the review is complete and any corrections have been made, OSP will approve in KR and submit in EGrAMS. OSP will send the RA a copy of the application from EGrAMS and provide the Institutional Proposal (IP) number that was assigned in KR.

Graphic of the MDHHS process flow.

MDHHS sends amendments throughout the year for increases or decreases in funding, as well as new allocations. Once MSU receives official notice of these, OSP will reach out to the RAs/PIs with instructions. Sometimes a disconnect can happen between what an MDHHS program manager thinks is being released in an amendment and what MSU receives. We recommend holding off on processing PD documents until we receive the amendment in EGrAMS.

We look forward to working with you on the upcoming MDHHS Master Agreement 2026!

Graphic that says Spring 2025 Research adminstrator spotlight award.

by Twila Reighley, AVP for Research; Erin Schlicher, SPA

The offices of Sponsored Programs Administration (SPA), Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP), and Contract and Grant Administration (CGA) are proud to recognize excellence in research administration through the Research Administrator (RA) Spotlight Award. We are excited to announce Amy Olle as the Spring 2025 award recipient!

Photo of Amy Olle

Amy Olle

Research Administrator II
College of Research Administration, College of Education

Amy has been a part of the MSU community for 18 years, bringing a wealth of experience in both pre- and post-award research administration. Since 2012, she has served in the College of Education's Office of Research Administration, where she primarily focuses on pre-award activities.

In her role, Amy supports faculty and researchers throughout the proposal development and submission process. She ensures compliance with university and sponsor guidelines, assists with budget preparation, interprets sponsor requirements, and coordinates with various campus offices to facilitate successful proposal submissions.

What do you enjoy most about your job here?

“I enjoy the collaborative nature of research administration at MSU and the opportunity to support the incredible research being conducted in the College of Education. Every project brings unique challenges and learning experiences, and it’s rewarding to help bring faculty members’ ideas to life. I greatly value the opportunity to work alongside such thoughtful, talented, and mission-driven colleagues. The faculty and staff I support are deeply committed to improving lives through research and education, and it’s inspiring to be part of that collective effort.”

What advice do you have for new research administrators?

“Research administration is a dynamic and rewarding field, but it is also complex and constantly evolving. My advice for new research administrators is to ask questions, stay curious, and seek out mentors. The learning curve can be challenging, but building strong relationships with colleagues and campus partners makes a world of difference.”

Graphic with the text Congratulations, Amy! Thank you for your outstanding contributions and for playing a vital role in advancing Michigan State University's research mission. Your hard work and dedication are truly appreciated.

Reminder: Federal Updates Resource Page for Sponsored Projects

by Erin Schlicher, SPA

As a reminder, the Federal Updates Resulting from Administration Transition webpage is available to support the MSU research community. This webpage continues to be updated as new information and guidance become available.

The page provides:

  • Guidance on handling federal communications, such as stop-work orders, terminations, or changes to project terms.
  • Links to related MSU communications, federal agency updates, and other MSU resources.
  • FAQs and additional tools to help navigate the changing federal landscape.

Please continue to refer to this page for updates and developments affecting federally sponsored projects. Thank you for your attention and commitment to supporting our research community!

Image of Sparty statue with spring blooms around him.
Photo courtesy of University Communications

Updating Contacts in Kuali Research from the Award Review Perspective

by Laura Johnston and Marc Melton

When an award is received in the Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP), OSP looks at the contacts listed in Kuali Research (KR) to determine who to include in the email exchanges for award review and negotiation. It is important to keep your unit's contacts up to date to make sure the correct people are included in these emails.

Who does OSP include on award recipt emails?

OSP includes the Lead/Contact PI, and the Fiscal Officer and Award Contact(s) for the Post Award unit. These same contacts will be included in the email that OSP sends to Contract and Grant Administration (CGA) when an account is ready to be set up.

Where can I find the contacts for my unit in KR?

From the Kuali Research welcome page, click [ Unit Administrator ] under Quick Links.

Graphic highlighting where to click on the Unit Administrator link on the Kualy Research welcome page.

Enter your Organization Code in the [ Unit Number ] field and click search. A list of the contacts for the unit will display.

Graphic with an arrow showing the text box titled Unit Number for entring an Organization Code.

How can I change the contacts for my unit in KR?

To change the contacts in Kuali Research, an eARM must be processed. Navigate to the Access Management webpage and click the plus sign next to Enterprise Business Systems (EBS) Access Requests. Click Request next to KR Unit Roles to complete the form. For more information, see the Kuali Research Unit Role Descriptions webpage. For roles where there can only be one person listed (i.e. Fiscal Officer and Account Supervisor), the eARM should request removing access for the current person listed and adding access for the new person to the role.

Can my unit list more than one person for a particular role?

For some roles, you can have multiple users with the same role (e.g. Award Contact), however, for the Fiscal Officer and Account Supervisor roles you can only have one user. The Fiscal Officer and Account Supervisor roles are part of the KR to KFS integration, where the named individual in KR populates these roles in the KFS Account document.

Can someone in OSP or CGA manually change the contacts in KR for my unit?

No. Contacts must be changed through the eARM.

Will CGA edit the KFS Account document to change the Fiscal Officer or Account Supervisor roles that were assigned to an account?

No. The unit should edit the Account document to update the roles.

If you have any questions, please contact the KR Helpdesk.

Image of spring lilacs on the MSU campus.
Photo courtesy of University Communications

Training, Education, & Resources

by Amy Bane, SPA

Essentials of Research Administration (ERA) Series

SPA/OSP/CGA, in collaboration with SPROUT and an extensive network of MSU staff involved in pre-award, post-award, and compliance aspects of research administration, provide a certified training series for research administrators and other support staff with responsibilities for research proposals, grants, contracts, and pre- and post-award administration at MSU.

D2L E-Learning: Sponsored Programs Administration offers four eLearning courses in D2L. To register for eLearning, please email Amy Bane (barteram@msu.edu) to be added to the course in D2L. All eLearning electives are worth 4 elective credits.

International Research I eLearning in D2L
International Research II eLearning in D2L
Contracts and Other Agreements eLearning in D2L
Animal Care and Use Requirements eLearning in D2L

2025 Schedule*: 12 Electives remain in 2025, along with eLearning options, and are open to anyone with a valid MSU NetID. We are offering both long courses and short courses to better fit your busy schedule! Each session name below is hyperlinked directly to the corresponding registration page in Ability.

(NOTE: Please enable pop-ups from Ability in your browser settings in order to access the course registration pages.)

Course Date Elective Credits
Post-Award Receivable Process and Financial Transactions 10-Jun 4
Audits 17-Jun 2
Proposal Development in KR 5-Aug 4
Beginner’s Hands-On Budgeting in KR 12-Aug 4
Reporting & Data Collection 9-Sept 4
Export Control 23-Sept 2
Departmental Post-Award Account Management 7-Oct 4
Fee-for-Service & Service Centers 21-Oct 4
Advanced Hands-On Budgeting in KR 11-Nov 4
NIH Agency Specifics 18-Nov 2
NSF Agency Specifics 25-Nov 2
Hot Topics 2-Dec 4

*All classes will take place via Zoom.

Client Feedback Surveys

by Mike Wolf, SPA

At SPA/OSP/CGA, we strive to provide excellent customer service in all stages of research administration, from proposal development to the final closeout of an award. We continue to use client feedback surveys to solicit feedback on our proposal, award, and post-award processes. Ratings response details are available on the SPA Metrics section of our website (two-factor authentication required).

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